1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to treadmills, and in particular to foldable treadmills.
2. The Relevant Technology
Treadmills are popular exercise machines that enable a user to engage in a running or walking movement while maintaining a relatively stationary position. A conventional treadmill includes two major sections: a base and a handrail. The base includes a frame having rollers mounted on opposing ends thereof. A continuous belt extends around and between the two rollers so as to be fashioned into a flat, continuous loop. In one design, an electrical motor is connected to the front roller. When the motor is turned on, the roller spins which imparts rotational movement to the belt. In an alternative design, no motor is provided. The continuous belt is rotated by the user standing on the belt and walking or running thereon. Friction between the user and the belt cause the belt to rotate in a continuous loop around the rollers.
The handrail acts as a support or stabilizer for the user. Conventional handrails project from the frame toward and across the front of the treadmill. Some alternative treadmills include moveable arms attached to the handrail. The movable arms enable the user to exercise their arms while running or walking on the treadmill.
A control console can also be mounted on the handrail. The control console is used to control the operation of the treadmill and to display related information such as elapsed time, speed, pulse, or calories burned. Controls for treadmill speed, inclination, or exercise program may also be part of the control console.
To use the treadmill, a user steps onto the continuous belt facing the front of the treadmill. The electric motor is then turned on causing the top surface of the belt to rotate from the front of the base to the rear of the base. To maintain a stationary position on the treadmill, the user must then walk or run at a speed corresponding to the speed of the belt. If desired, the user can grasp the handrail for support. When the user is done exercising, he or she simply turns the treadmill off and steps off the continuous belt.
Early treadmills tended to be bulky due to large motors and oversized parts. Such treadmills were difficult to move around and took up relatively large amounts of space. Accordingly, these early treadmills were almost exclusively found in spas and gyms having large amounts of floor space. As engineering improved, the size and weight of treadmills decreased. Nevertheless, the size of treadmills was limited by the length and width of the base which had to be large enough for a user to safely walk or run thereon. Due to this minimum size limitation, treadmills were significantly precluded from home or apartment use which did not have available space to house a treadmill.
In an attempt to remedy this problem, foldable treadmills were developed. Foldable treadmills include a base having rollers and a continuous belt as previously described. The front of the base, however, is hingedly attached to a stationary stand. Upstanding from the stationary stand is a handrail. The base can be selectively moved between an operational and storage position. In the operation position, the base is positioned for use by a user and is substantially parallel with the support surface. Many treadmills do, however, have the ability to change the position of the base relative to the support surface to simulate walking uphill. To use the treadmill, the user stands on the base facing the stationary stand and walks or runs thereon as discussed above. When use is completed, the base can be selectively moved to a storage position by lifting up the rear end of the base. The base is lifted to the storage position where it is in a substantially upright position with the front end of the base still rotatably connected to the stationary stand. By folding up the base, the treadmill takes up substantially less floor space making the treadmill more accessible for use in homes and apartments.
While foldable treadmills take up less space, they still have other drawbacks. For example, to minimize obstruction by the treadmill, it is desirable for the treadmill to be folded up against a wall, when not in use. The stationary stand must be positioned proximate to the wall to enable the base to fold out. With the treadmill positioned so that the stationary stand is closest to the wall a user is forced to face the wall during use of the treadmill. The user, however, typically prefers to look into the room, such as toward a television or other people, during use.
To enable a user to face into a room during use of a conventional foldable treadmill, the user must first rotate the stationary stand away from the wall, and then move the treadmill sufficiently far away from the wall so that the base does not hit the wall when the base is lowered into the operational position. When use is completed, the user must fold up the treadmill and move it back to the wall for storage. This required moving of the treadmill for each use is time consuming, annoying, and awkward. Further, treadmills are typically heavy and fairly large, making them physically difficult to move. Even those treadmills that are “portable” require a great deal of effort to move and reposition so that the user can face away from the wall. As a result, the frequency of use of the treadmill is decreased, thereby partially defeating the purpose of the treadmill.
Another problem with the existing folding treadmills is that the user must manually lift the deck into the storage position. While some types of folding treadmills have some type of a lift assistance assembly oil mechanism which helps a user lift the deck of the treadmill, the user must still manually lift the deck. It would be desirable to have a treadmill that was a folding treadmill but would not require the user to manually lift the deck of the treadmill from the operational position to the storage position.